Preparing for the Cape Wrath Ultra

By Ian Stewart, Trail Running Scotland

The route of the Cape Wrath Ultra will challenge every facet of your skills and experience as a runner. Obviously it is a long way, with the challenge of managing your body and mind over an extended period of 8 days. But more than that, every day has a variety of terrain that will test you in different ways; simple tracks that suit the faster runners, steep hills to test your hiking, technical descents and rough pathless sections that suit the hill runners. 

It is therefore important to consider how to ensure you aren’t missing a vital component of your preparation. 

Distance

What is your previous experience? What do you need to do to build up to be able to cover 70km in a day? Once you know you can do that, can you do it repeatedly over 3 or more days? Can you do that at a speed that will help you reach your goals at the event, whether that is finishing ahead of cut-offs or being competitive? 

Elevation

Day 3 has 2500 metres of climbing and over the week you will do more than 11000 metres of climbing and descending. That is an average of 27.5 meters of up and down for every km of the race. Are you getting enough hill training to match the event? Ideally your overall training stats should have a similar amount of climbing per km. 

Strength training can help keep you moving uphill and crucially help you deal with the cumulative fatigue of all that downhill. Another important consideration for descending is your technical ability. Improving your downhill running technique can save an enormous amount of time and fatigue over the course of the week. 

Terrain 

The route information for each day gives a breakdown of the different terrain. Again ensure your training prepares you for each element. Condition your body to be able to cope with lots of distance on firm tracks and even some tarmac as well as the rough stuff. A lot of the days have a significant amount of pathless terrain. This is tiring in a very different way to simple trail running. At every step it challenges the stability of your ankles knees and hips, sapping your energy and increasing your risk of injury. There is little substitute for spending time in a similar environment wherever you can. Seeking out routes that will force you to deal with tussocks, deep heather, slippery mud and rock. 

Injury free

The biggest reason for people not completing the Cape Wrath Ultra is injury of some kind. The most common are overuse injuries, tendonitis of the Achilles and shin muscle, knees and hips.  It is important to do everything you can to ensure you can get through the high volumes of training injury free and also give yourself the best chance of completing the event in good shape, still able to run on the long days of 6 and 7. 

A targeted strength and conditioning program can help with this, focussing on adding stability and durability to your running joints. 

Tips for the cape Wrath Ultra 

Run with race kit

• As you get closer to the event, carry your full race kit on your long runs to get used to the weight and also get efficient using all the pockets! 

Back to back days

• Over the course of your training, build your ability to run on tired legs by doing back to back days. Start small, with an easy 5k the day after your long run, and build up to doing 2 or 3 big days in a row. Warning – don’t overdo this or you risk injury. Once a month can be plenty. 

Ankle strength 

• Build an ankle strength circuit into your routine 2-3 times a week. Simple calf raises, foot strength exercises and basic plyometrics are great value but take time to be effective. 

Balance and agility

• Balance is largely a function of strength and will be tested by the rough terrain. Can you move well through a variety of single leg movements? 

Recovery 

• Prioritise recovery to adapt to your training and stay injury free. Learn how to use your foam roller properly, get a massage, do some mobility work. But importantly, sleep and eat well, and do what you can to reduce life stress. 

Prepare for the journey with Trail Running Scotland

If you are looking to improve on the skills above, Trail Running Scotland are offering an excellent Cape Wrath Ultra Preparation Weekend this September. It’s an excellent way of getting to grips with the skills you need to excel at the Cape Wrath Ultra and meeting other participants.